MA Law replacing the GDL
Course overview
The MA Law (replacing the GDL) at the University of Sussex is a one-year full-time conversion programme for graduates from different career options who are from non-law disciplines but wish to gain a qualifying law degree. It covers the key legal areas in England and Wales, such as public law, equity and trusts, and the English legal system and skills, preparing students for the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) or training for the Bar.
Teaching emphasises small-group sessions, legal awareness, and practical skills training such as mooting, client interviewing and negotiation and covers modules such as Advanced Legal Research and Writing, English Legal System and Skills, Criminal Law, Land Law, and Tort Law. Assessment is through a combination of coursework, oral presentations and a dissertation. This course satisfies the academic component for the Bar Standards Board (BSB) purposes and for Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) purposes.
Entry requirements
Candidates applying for the MA Law (replacing the GDL) at the University of Sussex are required to submit a personal statement in which they discuss their reasons for applying for the course and other relevant information regarding their studies. International applicants who intend to qualify as a barrister must also obtain a certificate of academic standing from the Bar Standards Board.
Grade Requirements:
- Applicants should have a lower second-class (2.2) undergraduate honours degree or above in any subject.
English Language requirements:
- TOEFL iBT score of 80 overall, including at least 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking, and 17 in Writing.
- IELTS Academic score of 6.0 overall, including at least 5.5 in each component
- PTE Academic score of 59 overall, including at least 59 in all four skills.
Scholarships
Cate Haste Scholarship in History
£3,000 tuition fee reduction.
Up to £3,000Cate Haste Scholarship in Media and Film
£3,000 tuition fee reduction.
Up to £3,000Chancellor's Masters Scholarship
£3,000 for applicants assessed as 'Home' for fees or £5,000 for applicants assessed as 'Overseas' for fees.
Jan Metzger Scholarship in Artificial Intelligence and Adaptive Systems MSc
£12,550 fee waiver
Up to £12,550John Kinghorn Scholarship in Engineering
£10,000 tuition fee reduction.
Up to £10,000MBA Impact Scholarship
£2,500 - £5,000 towards tuition fee reduction.
Up to £2,500Sanctuary Scholarship (Masters)
Shan Vaswani Borgartz Scholarship in Media
£5,000 tuition fee reduction.
Up to £5,000Stuart Hall Scholarship
£5,000 tuition fee discount.
Up to £5,000Sussex Alumni Scholarship
£3,000 tuition fee reduction.
Up to £3,000Sussex Progressive Futures Scholarships
£10,000 tuition fee reduction.
Up to £10,000The University of Sussex Business School International Masters Award
£2,000 will be awarded as a fee waiver to all overseas fee-paying students who start a full-time Masters course at the Business school.
Up to £2,000The University of Sussex Engineering and Informatics International Masters Award
£2,000 will be awarded as a fee waiver to all overseas fee-paying students who start a full-time Masters course at the School of Engineering & Informatics.
Up to £2,000
Career opportunities
The MA Law (replacing the GDL) at the University of Sussex introduces students to a wide range of employment opportunities and career pathways. They can go into roles such as:
- Solicitor
- Barrister
- Paralegal or Legal Executive
- In-house Counsel in organisations
- Legal researcher
Cost of study
International students enrolling in the MA Law (replacing the GDL) at the University of Sussex are required to pay a yearly tuition fee of £23,500.
Admission
To apply for the course, you can apply directly to the university through its online application portal. For personalised help with your application, please speak to one of our trained counsellors.
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